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iMac Mail app problem

Whenever "Mail" is open on iMac, the associated DSL modem (ethernet connection) shows intense internet activity although no mail is being sent or received. This heavy internet activity compromises the internet performance of other apps!


When attempting to close out "Mail," the iMac takes about a full minute to actually close the app!!! The moment "Mail" is closed, the flurry of internet activity abruptly ceases!


"Mail" on my MacBook Pro shows none of these anomalies (wireless to same DSL modem).


How to determine what is wrong with "Mail?" How to correct?

iMac, macOS High Sierra (10.13.4)

Posted on May 29, 2018 3:57 AM

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12 replies

May 29, 2018 2:25 PM in response to tygb

The "Connection Doctor" indicates no problem...


However, this may provide a clue:


At the very bottom of the Mail left hand sidebar, I find this notice:User uploaded file

That message seems to be permanent... but it does not appear when accessing "Mail" on MacBook Pro.

I have no idea what that message implies, but it seems as if the furious internet activity is somehow related.


Any help appreciated!

May 30, 2018 2:24 AM in response to nkh

User uploaded file

This morning… I find that the “Moving Messages” threat has increased to 14! And… it remains stuck there with incessant back & forth communication with DSL modem!



I find that others using High Sierra are having similar experiences… but the suggested treatments seem only “hopeful” and are not well-phrased…



How can I rid myself of this menace?

May 29, 2018 2:14 PM in response to nkh

Open mail app and click on window > connection doctor if the circle rotates for a time and does not show green dots in front of IMAP and SMTP it means there is a server issue .

Every time force quitting an mail app is troublesome .

You can hold shift key > and double click on apple mail application , but more refined method is switch to new user account see this article How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac - Apple Support

and in this account configure apple mail application see this article Set up Mail on your Mac with email accounts - Apple Support

Note : Running safe mode will not help .

May 30, 2018 8:01 AM in response to nkh

See these articles https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/activity-monitor/view-cpu-activity-actmntr 43452/mac

Quit a process on your Mac in Activity Monitor - Apple Support

Note : The mail activity is a normal for every Mac , even you delete the mail application from internet accounts and then again configure , the mails will start downloading from the server .

They will download until mail activity stops and shows as zero mail ( moving 1 of 24 or any ) and the bar loading will vanish .

But if a Mac user quit the apple mail application in between the process and then browse with some other application , and after some time again open apple mail app the activity will again start .

So the solution I tried and was always successful in my lap top is let the apple mail app be opened for an hour or two until all mails get downloaded , when the bar loading ends and it shows as zero mail activity , then quit the app .

May 30, 2018 4:50 AM in response to tygb

Hi tygb,


Yeah... I see these "announcements" for Mail activity. But... they provide no information on how to get rid of them if they don't leave on their own volition!


Also... periodically... even with "Mail" closed on this misbehaving iMac... I see a "ghost" Mail icon (labeled: From Mac) floating just to the left of the dock (but not on the dock!). It comes and goes... seemingly... for no apparent reason!

May 30, 2018 5:43 AM in response to nkh

This activity feature is added in IMAP account , it will continue , don't count the mails( the number will be reduced or increased ) , suppose you don't open computer for few days and once the computer is connected to the internet and in the back days hundred mails arrive once IMAP account is opened the activity will be shown and hundred mails will be downloaded .

May 30, 2018 6:34 AM in response to tygb

Hi tgyp,


My problem is that this “feature” exists… but in my case it is not self-correcting! 😟


The number of “Moving Messages” keeps increasing… the iMac keeps trying non-stop with high CPU time… but nothing happens!


Others have had a similar experience with Mail in High Sierra…


I need a solution… explanations help little! 🙂

May 30, 2018 10:20 AM in response to nkh

The mail app is running in the background , click on finder > apple logo > force quit > if you see mail application select it and force quit .

In the window only finder must be seen when machine is in idle state , no running applications should be saved .

You have to just verify it in your Mac .Avoid quitting the mail app from activity monitor for a day or two .

If it still shows in activity monitor , first consult with apple support advisor , then force quit the mail application .

Also don't ever use any anti virus , softwares , third party applications in Mac as they can corrupt any inbuilt apple applications , system files of Mac .

May 30, 2018 12:18 PM in response to tygb

Hi tgyb,


“You have to just verify it in your Mac .Avoid quitting the mail app from activity monitor for a day or two .”


Are you advising that I should leave Mail open for a day or two? What is the objective? In all probability — and until this problem is corrected — Mail’s continuous heavy packet exchanges will surely compromise any other internet activity! Is there reason to believe that if I contend with this, there’s hope this “problem” will eventually correct itself?


And… Mail showed up in Activity Monitor only because the Mail application was open at the time! If Mail were not open, I would not have expected to see Mail contributing to any internet activity! That screen shot was provided only to show Mail’s heavy internet activity… with no discernible accomplishments…



“If it still shows in activity monitor , first consult with apple support advisor , then force quit the mail application .”

Again… with what objective? I need to know wherein lies the possibility of a cure? My 3 years of “Apple Care Protection Plan” on this iMac expired last November. Is it possible Apple can provide knowledgeable assistance for a fee?


Is there an advantage to closing Mail via “Force Quit?” Closing out Mail normally, however, does take about a minute.

iMac Mail app problem

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